Super Rugby snoozefest to be outshone by Six Nations spectacle

Ireland coach Joe Schmidt will look to further his cause as one of world rugby's best coaches. Photo / Photosport

OPINION

So much has been made of the differing styles of rugby in the northern and southern hemispheres.

How teams down south play a much more attacking and entertaining brand of rugby, which many see as the reason why no northern hemisphere side made the semifinals at the 2015 world cup.

This has since changed with the likes of England and Ireland bringing in fresh faces and rejuvenating what had been a traditional and somewhat conservative manner in which to play the game.

Now, in 2019, it's anyone's guess as we inch closer to the Rugby World Cup in Japan, later in the year. Teams are less defined by their hemisphere and most have their own identity which influences the way they operate on the park.

But before we reach what will inevitably be one of the most tightly contested world cups in history, we have other competition to keep us firmly enamoured with our national game.

However, it won't be any game on this nation's shores that will be the object of much attention.

As most will know, the Six Nations competition begins today at 9am (NZ time) with France taking on Wales before Scotland take on Italy and the much-anticipated, Ireland v England game on Sunday.

What some will know and most won't have realised is that Super Rugby is also right around the corner. Even now, I am surprised by my lack of anticipation for the five month long competition and I will tell you why.

The Six Nations may not be long, as it lasts only five weeks, but the sheer unpredictability of each of the 15 games, naturally brings with it excitement or trepidation, whichever side you fall on.

You could not say the same for Super Rugby. While upsets are rarities in sport, in Super Rugby, they might as well be like getting a postcard from Atlantis, with how seldom they occur.

I understand it may be a false equivalency to compare the two with more domestic players involved with Super Rugby, but as far as I'm concerned, they are both international competitions and both have the potential to be as thrilling as the other.

A lot of this comes down to the positions our southern hemisphere rugby nations are in.

New Zealand is in as good a shape as its ever been with the continued dominance of domestic sides who consistently qualify for the final eight.

Meanwhile, Australia's sharp decline in quality performances and South Africa's fluctuations in form offer little resistance against the All Blacks wave which consumes them year in, year out.

In contrast, our northern brethren have grown from strength to strength since that 2015 wake-up call. Ireland now look like the team to beat as their coach looks to go down as the greatest of all time, should he come away with the trophy in Japan.

England are as slippery as ever under the leadership of Eddie Jones and Warren Gatland's Wales will look to return to their glory of 2011, as will France whose success has been dimmed by the shining light of those in green and white.

While Super Rugby will provide good viewing every now and again when we have a New Zealand derby or a home victory for the South Africans, it will tell us little and entertain us even less.

I hope to be proved wrong because at its best, with proper competition, there is no other competition like it. I remain pessimistic.

The Six Nations will offer us an insight as to where the balancing act of world rugby currently stands as we look towards the world cup.

It will be a chance to make a statement, one that says, 'we are here and we will win in Japan'. Who that may be, we will have to wait and see.